SAN MARCOS, Texas — Police on Tuesday, May 7, arrested the suspect they believe committed three sexual assaults at apartment complexes near the Texas State University campus in recent weeks.
The string of assaults took place at various San Marcos apartment complexes within a few days of each other. The assaults took place at the Cottages of San Marcos, The Retreat and the Edge Apartments between April 24 and May 2.
These apartment complexes are relatively close to each other and near the Texas State University campus.
San Marcos police also made an arrest in the sexual assault case at the Edge Apartments on Friday, May 3.
Here's a look at a timeline of the assaults:
Two break-ins were reported at the Cottages of San Marcos.
April 24
This first break-in occurred at about 3:45 p.m on April 24. The victim told police she found a stranger hiding in her bedroom before she was threatened and then sexually assaulted. The victim described the suspect as a man in his 20s with an athletic build and about 6 feet tall.
April 30
Police in San Marcos are also looking for a man who allegedly entered an occupied apartment and threatened a resident with a gun at the same complex. This incident happened on Tuesday. Police said this suspect is described to be about 6 feet, 3 inches tall and was also wearing black clothing at the time of the incident.
For more information on these assaults, click here.
May 2
Officers are searching for a suspect in a home invasion and sexual assault that happened at The Retreat apartment complex on May 2.
During the press conference Friday, police said they received a call from a victim stating that she and her roommate had been taken at gunpoint inside their apartment at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday. The gunman allegedly proceeded to "bind" the girls before he physically and sexually assaulted them for two to three hours. After the assaults, the gunman fled the apartment complex while the victims called 911, according to police.
Police mentioned that this crime closely matches one of the assaults that took place at the Cottages of San Marcos.
"This crime almost identically matches the crime committed about a week ago," police said.
The suspect at the Retreat apartment is described as a black man who was wearing black clothes and a ski mask at the time of the incident. This suspect was also reportedly armed with a handgun. Police said this suspect's description also closely matches the suspect in one of the Cottage apartment assaults.
As police were finishing the crime scene at the Retreat, they received a call at about 4 p.m. from a caller who said she heard a woman scream "rape" at the Edge apartments. Officers were able to make it to the scene at the Edge apartments within three minutes, police said.
For more information on the Retreat assault, click here.
May 2
San Marcos police issued an arrest warrant on May 2 for a sexual assault that happened at the Edge Apartments on Monday, April 29. The warrant was issued to Keith Vallen Louis III, 27.
On Friday, police confirmed that they do not believe Louis is connected to the additional three incidents that occurred at the Cottages and the Retreat within the last two weeks. SMPD released a sketch of the suspect in the other three sexual assaults on Friday.
During the press conference Friday, police said the victim in this case had been in a confrontation with her roommate. The victim reportedly told police she had been sexually assaulted by her roommate, later identified as Louis, on April 29.
Police said she had not seen Louis since the assault happened until Tuesday, May 2, when she returned home and found him inside the apartment. Police said the victim then screamed for help.
Police said they were able to identify the victim's roommate as Louis, who has been accused of sexually assaulting her.
Police said the suspect in all of these cases has the same characteristics as Louis, but cannot confirm that he is responsible for the other assaults.
Police described the suspect in each of these assaults as a black man in his 20s with an athletic build who is about 6 feet to 6 feet and 3 inches tall. The suspect in each of these assaults was also seen wearing all black clothing.
"That's a similar description to what Louis was seen wearing when he fled the scene at the Edge," police added.
For more information on the Edge assault, click here.
May 6
The San Marcos Police Department announces that they have enlisted the help of the Texas DPS Rangers and members of the FBI Central Texas Violent Crimes Task Force (CTVCTF) to assist in the investigation, starting with the first incident on April 24.
Police are asking the public to stay vigilant and to keep their doors and windows locked. If you see Louis or have any information regarding these incidents, call 911.
May 7
San Marcos police said they eliminated five people of interest as they continue to investigate. Patrols were increased in the area where the assaults occurred and near student apartment complexes.
Later that day, police said a citizen found a backpack in the stairwell of the Sanctuary Lofts apartments with the name Tyshane Vris Thomas written on it in permanent marker. Inside, police found a BB gun made to look like a real handgun, a black sweatshirt, a black mask and several items of women's clothing.
Police later learned that Thomas lived in the Sanctuary Lofts apartments and took him in for questioning. He later admitted to three sexual assault crimes and one burglary committed in San Marcos on April 24, April 30 and May 2.
